After Hours AU
by CaskettFeels
Summary: What if Castle was still in the car in 5x08 After Hours? This is an AU for the ending of the episode. Castle!whump


**What if Castle was still in the car in 5x08?**

**I own nothing... except for the mistakes in this.**

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"Not everything I told you was a lie," Leo said. He had a grip on Beckett's left arm, and a gun pressing firmly into the small of her back. Her heart was beating fast, thundering in her ears, and she could barely make sense of what he was telling her. She'd given up trying to weasel her hands out of the duct tape. It was firm and not going anywhere. "I really did have a shrink, but then he diagnosed me as a sociopath with homicidal tendencies... so, I had to kill him." He said it like it was no big deal, like the man who was trying to help him meant nothing, had absolutely no value. Except, he did, didn't he? Clearly, Leo had taken something away from his sessions with the shrink and had more insight into her relationship with Castle than _she_ did.

Beckett had heard enough confessions from suspects in her time as a detective, but this twist still had her reeling. She never suspected him... he played the victim well, he played _her_ like an expert. He looked around, searching, cautiously cataloguing everything around them. Would there be an ambush? A witness? "Listen, Leo, you don't want to do this. Okay?" She was desperate, she knew that. Fear coiled tightly inside her as she felt the barrel of the gun in her back, as they drew closer to where ever Castle was. "Killing a cop is just going to bring you a lot of grief from the NYPD... the FBI... Just let me go."

"Yeah," Leo breathed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at what could only be described as a delivered line. How many times had she practised pleading for her life? Or did she think he was stupid enough to just let her go after confessing to killing his shrink or McMurtry? "Sorry, can't do that. I do find your relationship fascinating, though. Boy, you and Castle have some real issues. It's a shame you won't be able to work 'em out."

Everything inside her constricted at the thought of Castle, at the thought of all the things she never got to say to him because she was too afraid that their worlds were going to implode. Their _different worlds_. That still struck a chord, but, despite whatever their problems were, they could be worked out _later_. All she could sense in the moment was danger, and it was all encompassing. She knew for sure, now, that tonight was the night. She was being walked to her death, and Castle's. "But, like I said, _life's too short_."

What upset her was that she couldn't disagree. This sociopath had made some valid points this evening. Why was it always the back guys who had a better grasp of what personal relationships should be?

They reached the end of the ramp under the bridge and came around the pillar. The SUV was there, tail lights on. "There they are," Leo declared, feeling triumphant. Beckett felt the opposite. Pure dread, and she felt frozen in the possibilities, words and pleas dying in her throat.

Leo let her go, focused on his mission as he advanced forward and raised his gun.

She didn't expect him to open fire right away. She's expected an exchange of words... like in the movies where the villain always revealed some diabolical plan that gave the good guys enough time to regroup and kick some evil ass. That was always the mistake.

The gunfire was loud, overpowering the thumping of her heart, the blood rushing in her ears. "No! NO!" she cried out, her feet pushing her forward. "No!" _Castle!_ Her heart was exploding with the realization that she might've just lost the single best thing in her life.

She gave one last look at Leo as he lowered his gun, and the immediate area went quiet again. She propelled herself towards the SUV. The driver was hunched over against the steering wheel, blood pooling out from his mouth. Beckett made a whimpering sound, checking the back seat. Mickey was right there behind the driver. Blood spattered everywhere on the seats. His eyes were closed, chest unmoving.

There, on the other side of the back seat... _Castle. _There was blood, and he was slumped against the door. She wasn't sure if he was still alive, she couldn't tell from here. She was so close to him, and yet so far at the same time. "Oh God, Castle!" she cried, moving to run around the back of the vehicle and just get to him. If she could get to him... it was silly to think that everything would be okay, she knew.

Leo swiftly cut off her path to her partner, gun pointed right between her eyes and she had to take a step back to focus and take in the whole picture. "Please, Leo..." she begged, defeat rising up inside her. This was it, and she felt so many regrets, but dying next to Castle wouldn't be one of them.

"For what it's worth," he started, "I'm sorry."

She didn't believe him, but this was happening. She sucked in a breath, prepared for it, body tense. He pulled the trigger without further preamble and she flinched at the audible click... but there was no explosion of pain. No... nothing. _Nothing_. She gasped for air. Adrenaline was coursing through her. There were no more bullets in the gun; he'd emptied the clip. She could have been counting as he fired them into the SUV, into her _partner_, but it was Castle, and anything beyond him was lost to her.

She charged forward at him, hitting him with the force of her body. He stumbled backwards and ultimately lost his footing and fell, his emptied gun flying away and skidding to a halt somewhere.

Beckett needed to defend herself, to fight, to survive because it was what Castle would want, and nothing else mattered other than the fact that he needed her. What she needed... she needed her hands free. Turning back to the SUV, she searched for a piece of glass from the shattered window, but looking inside the back seat, she noticed Mickey had a piece sitting in his lap, with her detective shield. Glass bit at the inside of her arms as she reached for them. She didn't even register that her coat was being torn, or that Mickey's blood was smearing on it. Was that _her_ gun? It felt like it.

Safety off, she whirled around just as Leo was on his feet again, charging for her. One bullet, center mass. He went down like a load of bricks before she could even blink. Beckett dumped her shield and gun into her pockets and rushed around to the other side of the vehicle. "Castle..." she whimpered, pulling on the door handle. The door opened faster than she imagined, Castle's weight toppling towards her. She caught him under the arm before he could unceremoniously fall out. Catching his groan, hope and relief filled her. Getting a firm grip of him, she pulled him out of the car with a grunt, and a plea. His feet smacked down on the concrete and she lowered the both of them to the ground, mindful of his head.

More groans of pain and discomfort graced her ears, and she had never been more thankful in her life for them, despite what they were telling her. She hovered over him. His eyelids fluttered as he wheezed. "Castle!" she said sharply, checking him over. She found the GSW in his chest. "No..." Immediately, she pressed her hand to it, but warm blood still seeped out between her fingers, coating them. "Babe, stay with me..." It's the first time she's ever called him that, but the experience it lost on her, because all she can see is the man she loves slipping away from her. She's losing him, and she's powerless to stop it.

"This isn't how our story ends."

Castle moaned, eyes cracking open. She was in his line of sight, elation written all over her face. "Castle! That's it. Just stay awake. Stay with me." There were sirens headed their way, and she had no idea how, but _someone_ must've heard the gunfire. "Castle... Castle I lo -"

"Don't," he choked out, shaking his head gently. He knew her so well, even when he was delirious from the pain he was in. She wasn't ready to say it.

Beckett closed her mouth, fear once again gripping her. Everything was changing all at once, it felt like. But, God... was he resenting her now? The rug had been yanked out from under her. She never thought Castle would stop her from expressing herself, but this man knew her better than she knew herself sometimes.

"_Later_," he finished.

She understood him, and relief coursed through her like a swift river. Those words would become his reward if he survived. It was just another thing for him to hold on for. Police cars pulled up, flashing lights illuminating the area. She looked up at the nearest car. "Here! I need a first aid kit and call for an ambulance!" she barked orders, reaching into her pocket with a bloodied hand and produced her shield, waving it at the officers who approached with guns drawn.

Looking back down at Castle, her lip quivered, seeing he had slipped away from her in those few seconds, Death greeting him like an old friend.

"Please, no," she got out, fingers searching his neck for a pulse. Tears spilled as she frantically placed her hands over his heart and started compressions. "You're not leaving me." It was a demand, an order... but since when did Castle ever follow her orders? The thought struck her, then, and she let out a sob. An officer dropped down next to her with the first aid kit.

Castle breathed in again, and the see-saw of emotions within Beckett took her back towards relief. "Where's that ambulance?" she barked at the officer.

"Two minutes out."

Two minutes... he could hang on for two minutes. He had to.

* * *

It was hours later before Beckett was able to see him. Martha and Alexis were the first, naturally, and she just sat with her father in the waiting room. She hadn't said anything to him, and he didn't need her to. He understood all too well what she was going through, but her story was getting a happy ending. Castle was stable, though it was touch and go for a while, especially in the ambulance. _I watched you die in that ambulance. Did you know that?_

She never wanted to be able to say the same thing, but now she could, and it made her queasy.

Jim squeezed her hand reassuringly, catching her attention when Martha and Alexis came out of his room. With a small smile, Martha ushered the detective through. She gave one lasting look back towards her father before entering, thanking him for being her rock, for taking care of her and bringing her fresh clothes while hers were being sent back as part of the investigation. She'd brushed off the other detectives who wanted to take her statement before she got in the ambulance. She had more important things on her mind.

The sound of the heart rate monitor was reassuring. Seeing him lying propped up in the bed brought a smile to her face. His eyes were closed, and he breathed evenly. She came up along side his bed, quiet and stealthy (not that she had intended on being so). She leaned forward, mouth close to his ear, so many things she wanted to say to him, but he was the writer. She could never put into words all the things she wanted to share, but those three words were the best she could do. "I love you, Castle," she whispered.

A rumble came from the back of his throat, and his eyes opened slowly. He was still groggy, and disoriented, but when his gorgeous blue eyes zeroed in on her, he lit up like a Christmas tree. She wondered if he'd even heard her. "Hi," he said, nostrils flaring with a sharp intake of air.

"Hi," she said back, grinning. "I am so glad you're okay. I thought I lost you..."

"No, never, never." It was a promise that he'd always hang on for her with whatever strength he had for as long as he could. Silence settled over them for a minute, until... "Say it again, Kate."

She beamed at him. "I love you, Castle. Sorry it took me so long."

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**A/N: Sorry for the random AU. XD I like reading post-eps and ep-AUs, and surprisingly, no one had written one for if he was still in the car... Interesting. Lol!**


End file.
